Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-04-30
ANNA SYMPTOMS TRIAL.


You threw me over for them
Throw you over, George" said the
girl in panied voice. ''Oh, no! no! no /
But don't you see that my first duty is to
my parents? Oh, you must see it,
George; so, please don't - so hard upon
mel'
"Its you that's hard on me / think, Z"
responded the young man bitterly, "and
l see nothing of the kind, Anna, neither
will your parents, am sure. You know
it was always promise that we should
be married this April, and now you refuse
to keep that promise; if that's what your
religion teaches you-to 60 back from
your word I don't think much of it,"
'But, George" looking up at him
with the tears shining in her hazel eyes,
don't you yourself think it would be
wrong if deserted my parents in their
troubled How could hope for God TO
bless me in my married lie if failed in
my duty to them who lo> ed me before
knew it?"
You talk so much of duty said her
lover, fretfully, duty to them, ] mean
you never seem to think that ought to
be considered at all, but the truth is
you're tired of me, and make your moth
er's illness an excuse for throwing me
over, only think it would be more
straightforward if you said so plain out -"
Il thought you loved me, George" I" the
girl said, looking into his eyes with her
ar-dimmed ones.
"Of course you know do, but it seems
as though you cared precious little about
me-"
"But. George, if you love me, how can
you think that l am deceiving you when
/ say that the reason I cannot marry you
is because of my mothers illness2 Sure
ly one doesn't doubt where one truly
loves"
"Ahl you are trying now to rake up
some old grievance about me as a sort of
excuse for your not keeping your word
out with it, then; give me chance to de-
fend myself"
II was not thinking of anything of the
sort, she answered, little Indignantly.
Then laying one hand on his arm and
looking pleadingly in his face, "Gcorge,
do not let us part in anger tonight; in
deed, / have enough to bear without that 4;
let me keep your love to help me to do
my duty bravely and cheerfully."
"Your duty, Anna, is to marry me, "
he said, stolidly; "a promise is a prom
ise."
Sand would have kept it, George, oh,
how gladly had it not been for my
mothers illness. The doctors say it will
in all probability be six months, perhaps
more, before she will be able to get about
again; but doctors are liable to be mis-
taken, so perhaps it won't be so long as
that; at any rate, we will hope So"
II don't at all see why we should not
be married in fortnight's time, for all
that, urged her lover. ''You could al
ways come over here once a week to see
her, anyhow, and that would be as often
as she could expect, considering that our
home would be seven miles away. Come,
my lass, putting his arm round her, 'let
us go TO the old people, and see if ! can
not persuade 'em TO let it it be as | say"
"Ah, no" grasping his arm tightly,
as though TO hold him back from carry
ing out such an intention; 'you must not
do that They might, perhaps. give in,
thinking that il was for my happiness
when all the while
"Itwouldn't bem in;crrupting her.
"No, because it would be selfish
thing for me to do. and nothing shall
make me do il, F." firmly.
"Vcay well then, " said the yong man,
taking his arm from round her waist /;
"we v'ill part, as you don't care for nc
enough to marrym I'll set about look
ing for somebody else who docs and
win"
With that George Harwood strobe
away, she watching his retreating figure
with numb pain at her heart, only half
comprehcnding that he had left her for
ever-was no more her afiianccd husband Z;
gone from her, never 10 return.
Tic knowledge, when she fully came
TO realize If, was so fraught with anguish
that she threw herself down ON the sands,
convulsiyc sobs shaking her frame, cry
ing out
"Gcorge George! come back to mel
Come back TO mcw
But the words fell all unheeded on the
evening breeze, he heard them not, nor
answered.
Ere long her Wild grief had spent it.